Hey Everyone,
Sorry for being such a lame blogger look forward for my story about my most recent not-fight, wherein I save a female moron from a male moron. Coming soon.
T

Evangeline Shaleigh

Cutest bambini ever.

Feminism

Perhaps NOW’s strongest argument is that men and women are indeed equal and ought to be treated as such. One of the many hard places to get stuck against in this discussion is the multifaceted nature of the organization. It really is true that the “want it all NOW” which makes it difficult to critique the organization as a whole. Part of NOW’s mission statement is a prime example of this conundrum, “Our purpose is to take action to bring women into full participation in society — sharing equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities with men, while living free from discrimination.” I gladly concede that women ought to share equal rights and opportunities with men. Yet hidden between those two innocent truths lies the dastardly word responsibilities, with which I simply cannot agree. Every woman ought to have all the same rights and opportunities as a hangman, but never his responsibility .
This quasi-agreement comes from an equivocation in the feminist’s rhetoric. The terms “equal” and “identical” have become basically interchangeable. This sort of equivocation may go undetected in the soft science of sociology, but imagine the devastation that could be caused in one of the hard sciences for such an inconsistency. Hydrogen and helium may be equally valuable in the sight of God and man, but any chemist would scoff at the concept that the equality made them identical. In fact, many of the tragic effects that one would expect from such a chemical confusion, can be seen in the dissolution of the American family. Castrated men, who behave like women, have given rise to women filling the gap that has been created, and, operating under the devastating equivocation, begin to act like men, and thus destroy their femininity.

Christmas Update

My mom had me write our family Christmas letter and this is what came out. For those of you who don't know my family, just imagine.

Hey Everyone,
Greetings from the Antkowiaks! It’s been a busy year, and God has blessed us immensely. Jeff is still young and charming, with a twinkle in his eye, and a spring in his step. Not to mention the grey in his beard. The business is booming and we’ve grown to over thirty employees (economic crisis my arse). Karen continues her benevolent reign as one part domestic goddess, one part shnazzy dresser, and one part financial savior, keeping the lights on and the employees paid at ADG. Morgan is flourishing in the first grade and loves nothing more than singing and dancing. She is also developing quite a sharp sense of humor: think half Shirley Temple, half Groucho Marx. Jordan is turning into quite the young lady, is happily working through her freshman year in high school, and would only be slightly offended at the term “self-appointed Diva.” Tyler graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rockbridge Academy and is now slowly being brainwashed at New Saint Andrews College in frigid Moscow, Idaho. Brandon married his high school sweetheart Ashley Dwyer in May and has also settled down in Moscow. As far as they’re concerned they are still on their honeymoon. In typical Antkowiak style we are all tired, but all happy, and all looking forward to the new exciting ways that God will test us and bless us in the New Year.
God Bless you all,
The Antkowiaks

NewArt

Hey Everyone, I've got a little bit of new art for you. I made a list of all the people in my class who I thought would be fun to draw. This is a girl in my class named Robin Bowe, and she should be the first of many class pictures to come. I once had somebody ask me, "Do you draw men?" as they had only ever seen portraits I've done of women. Yes I draw men. Actually probably 80% of the people I've ever drawn have been men. But if your going to invest serious time and effort in a portrait, you should draw a woman. They are more appreciative and considerably better looking than guys. Also, you get hugs.
T

Obamanation

A God-fearing Christian is an Obama supporter. Paul exhorts us in Romans, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, … Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” ¬ God has placed this man in authority over us, and that providential act requires an appropriate reaction from Christians. Some Christians who think themselves rather clever, thanked God for the impending judgment, and asked that it would be swift and would cause a conservative backlash, I unfortunately fell into this way of thinking. This however is simply backward. We know that Barrack Obama has been promised as a “minister for our good” . Whether we like it or not. Expecting the sudden downfall of our nation is the sort of dependence on horses and chariots that we are strictly warned against. Do I trust Obama’s policies, character, or affiliations? No, no more than we ought trust in tanks. I do, however, trust that he cannot thwart God’s plans, and that God has made all things to work together for the good of those that love Him . A pro Obama stance does not make one pro abortion, or pro Gay marriage. On the contrary, we ought to pray that God would preserve our nation from such evils and direct our president away from them. The appropriate Christian response to our president elect is thank God and ask his blessing on our new leader.

PS. If you read this pathetic little blog please click the follow this blog link.

Beard

Last week Mr. Leithart made his clever and well-received attack on the shaggy faces of the freshman class. I appreciate what he was saying. He makes a valid point by warning against the growth of a beard for status or a façade of maturity. I agree. The thing is I don’t think that many members of the freshman class grow beards for this reason. I don’t rely on my beard for social acceptance. I rely on my beard to separate my chin from my neck. There is nothing wrong with growing a beard, but, live up to your beard. If you behave like a prepubescent punk, then I must agree that your chin fuzz only serves to accentuate the contrast between your age and your behavior. But if you are a young man known for maturity and humility, then a beard is totally appropriate.
Again I’ll grant to Mr. Leithart, that part of that maturity and humility is knowing what you can grow and where. Fourteen hairs grown to five inches long is not the mark of wisdom. I’ve spent the last week figuring out that I can’t grow a moustache, and I probably won’t try again for some time. Also, it is important to keep in mind that, most of us come from much more clement weather than the frozen tundra that is Moscow. A little hair on the face goes a long way in maintaining body heat. So to the freshman guys, be wise, stay warm, and grow a beard, if you can.

Suicide

Suicide is the ultimate sin of economy. It combines a disgust for all of God’s gifts and government, with a usurpation by human perversion’s. Chesterton talks about suicide as a sort of cosmic treason, but the dangers and debaucheries of this action run much deeper. Suicide represents utter revolt against God’s providential narrative and authority. In expelling the God-breathed life from their bodies suicides are not only refusing to face, interact with, and accept God’s providence; they are denying his authority as the author of life. This is perhaps the fundamental difference between suicide and martyrdom. The former is the ultimate rebellion against God’s will, whereas the later is the perfect acceptance of, and resignation to God’s will. Moreover, suicide is often a false gospel, a rejection of the gift of Christ efficacious blood, a distortion of the necessity of bloodshed for purgation, which reveals itself in the propensity of cultish activity to end in suicide. The way Augustine viewed the world is the perfect paradigm for understanding suicide. By understanding creation as God’s property built on a hierarchy of love, it becomes plain that in suicide man is stealing from God, himself, and nature. The City of Man, characterized by the economic sins of greed, ingratitude, and domination, is born from the poisonous juices of the first suicide, when Adam and Eve willingly ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and thus knowingly garnered death for themselves.

Pumpkin Battles

Sitting on the table before me, glaring but not yet grinning, my enemy and I pause. Knife in hand and six good friends besides, each with a demon to define and defeat, I catch my breath. I gutted him, and yet my struggle was not nearly over. I went to work with a trusted Sharpie, less effective in my battle than the name might imply. I had already gauged his eyes out, and yet my foe was not yet complete. All but one other friend Rachel Mayerberger had finished off their orange foe, Horace the Duck, Guinivere of the Bear and Shark, Kelley of the German River, Brandon the Demoniac, and Ashleigh of the Vomit. Finally the battle was over, my squashly nemesis finished. I am Coniglio Diabolico and I have won. We left the corpses of our foes, now turned into family crests, strewn across our door, that any more orange marauders might know what lies in wait for them at the House of Antkowiak.

Art

Despite all of the work thats expected of me ion college i've also managed to do a little art. Here are a few of the things i've managed to squeak out.
I'm not thrilled with the quality of the scanned images, so in all seriousness they look better in person. ;)

My tenor mixes with my father’s,
My mother smiles and winks from down the row,
Jordan pinches my arm. That’s the same.
Morgan finds the right page in the hymnal. That’s new.
Its good to be home for church.

Today the government officially recognizes my semiadulthood. I'm not quite sure how i feel about that. I can legally smoke, no real new ground broken there, however I can be tried as an adult in a court of law, and be drafted. I suppose I'm mostly glad to be done with 17. 17 was so last year. In survey, however, seventeen was pretty great. I lost 40 lbs (and put 25 back on :) ) I was part of an amazing musical production. I graduated from a spectacular school. I made an amazing cross country trip with my Dad. And now I am at a great college, making some really good friends. 17 was a good year. I'm going to have to work pretty hard to make 18 even better.

Hi everyone. Facebook is eating me.

Declamation #2

Cooking is worship. The modern church has lost a fundamental factor in worshipping God, and enjoying him. God is not merely the God of our heart and head; He is also the God of our stomachs. A survey of the Bible demonstrates that God is interested in what we ingest. When it came to sacrificing bulls and goats, the ancient Levitic priests were commanded to cook and eat a portion of the sacrifice. The altar was not a stage for pyromania, but a divinely ordained barbecue. Moreover, the Jewish celebrations weren’t merely weeklong church services; they were feasts. Surely in the newer and better covenant this glorious aspect of worship ought not be lost, but made more glorious. Christians are called upon to prepare their hearts for corporate worship throughout the week, by the study of the scriptures in individual devotion. How much more fitting is it to prepare for the great Feast, by preparing and eating good meals? The Westminster Divines considered worship the proper response to God’s lordship, sovereignty, and goodness. There are few greater ways of celebrating God’s lordship and goodness than partaking of the vegetation and beasts that God has to men. Cooking is worship most fundamentally in that by cooking Christians are mirroring Christ who prepared food for the twelve, and for five thousand. If Christians are expected to make joyful sounds, and earnest prayers, and they certainly are, then they are also expected to make rich sauce, bake fresh bread and roast red meat.

Declamation

Everyone here has a home. And for a great number of us, our home is not Moscow. Its California, or Michigan, or Maryland. To those of us who were not born and raised here in Moscow, I have this to say: Go home. And to the locals: Get us out. If you love the school and its vision, take it back home with you. The school has a vision of cultural reformation, and quite frankly, Moscow is reformed enough already. To whom much is given much is required. We’ve been given much. What will be required of us is bigger than Moscow. As far as the people who have grown up here in Moscow are concerned: stay! Perpetuate the work that your parents have invested in, and do a good job so that nobody from out of town feels compelled to stay. We are being trained as rhetors, and I have no doubt that your hometown could use more Godly men speaking in accordance with biblical wisdom. We are being taught to love God’s Lordship over creation, and it is a rather feeble accomplishment to merely conquer a town of only 20,000 in the Northwest corner of the country. We are being taught math from a Christian worldview and the whole country is overrun by secular science. You’re being armed to deal with this problem, let Dr. Stokes handle it here in Moscow. Finally, I am sure somebody’s hometown needs a little Latin. After graduation, humbly gather what you have been given, and go home.

I Love My Adopted Family

By the way, you can view these photos individually in my slideshow at the bottom!

A Near Death experience

Hi everyone. Its 1:00 and I need a break from Augustine. I heard that one of the declamations will be describing a near Death experience so this is what i came up with. Also this story is now nearly three years old so I'm comfortable telling it.

My life has never been near death. My self inflicted bb gun wounds and automobile destructions have not brought me an inch closer to six feet under. That does not mean however that my life has not been threatened. As a matter of fact I have had a death threat leveled against me. In my fifteenth year, my 6’5” 290 lb frame was threatened by a little fruit in a scarf. Two friends of mine, for our purposes we shall call them Dumb and Dumber, arranged a wager. As the aforementioned fruit walked past, Dumb said to Dumber, “I’ll give you a dollar if you ask that guy if he’s gay”. Dumber obliged. That’s why he gets to be Dumber. The relatively calm fruit said “no he was not” and Dumber returned to the table. I felt called to go and apologize. I answered the call. Bad call. Something in my apology must have legitimized my friends question, for that aforementioned fruit exploded in a torrent of scarf laden metrosexual anger. His 5’6” feathered haired head was reaching past me yelling that he had an f…..g gun, and that he was going to f…..g kill us. (Dumb, dumber and I later decided that his gun was most likely pink and fuzzy.) Fortunately his girlfriend arrived, which as I’m sure you can all guess made things much better. Now Ryan Scarfcrest and his girlfriend who at least had the IQ of celery, are yelling through my chest at the guys and girls behind me. And as quickly as it began it was over. They suddenly walked out the door and the bescarfed harbinger of f…..g death and his blond harpy were never seen again.

I thought they said chapters not sections!

I'm Back

Have you ever been faced with a situation so overwhelming that you simply couldn't handle it? Yeah, I haven't either. I'v spent the last two weeks driving accross country with my dad, and working like mad to get construction finished on my house. I've learned an aweful lot in the past two weeks. You shouldn't drink a lot of coffee if your trying to stay on the road for as long as possible. If you're going to get a flat tire, the best place to do it is in Austin, Minnesota so you can go to the spam museum while your getting it fixed. I learned that sometime you can learn more about your family in an intensely stressful week than you could in nearly eighteen years of normalcy. I learned how to scrape the paint off of hardwood. and vynil. and lynnoleum. and plaster. Mostly i learned that, in a very hyumble way, there is nothing I can't handle. When I am at my tiredest, when my defences are down, when i'm weak, God fills that void, more than my own strength ever could. I can spend all morning hauling pianos and book shelves, and somehow when evening comes and i feel like i have nothing left, God gives me the strength to handle the pipes bursting beneath the sink. With the two weeks I've had school shoulod be easy, and all the trials and triumphs that I've had leave me with one realization. I can do alol things through christ who strengthens me.

T

New Features

Hey there everyone,
A couple of new features on the blog worth checking out, first we have the promote the Dwyers sidebar, with their new releases. The weekly updated poll, and down at the bottom we have a slideshow of some of my favorite pics. a legit post should show up soon.
T

Beauty

It is sometimes the case that certain women are recognized universally as being beautiful. This is a shame. Their beauty is purely plastic and external. The most fundamental type of beauty is the disputed type. Let us say that I find someone very attractive. Hypothetically. It is more of a testimony to my affection that others I know do not find her as attractive. She is attractive to me. She is not so much beautiful on her own. She is beautiful in respect to me. My love makes her beautiful. Lest you think that I’m saying beauty is relative, I’m not. Beauty is not something that is indefinable, but it is personal. Others might not find her laugh infectious. But it infects me. Others might not get lost in her eyes but eye do. The standards do not change. Men do. If others found her as attractive as I do, I would doubt my feelings. I would think that they were superficial. But she has a disputed beauty. Yet she is indisputably beautiful to me. Hypothetically.

-William Bernard Martin
Selected Shorter Writings

Updated

Hey there everyone, sorry if my pre-departure nostalgia was a bit too heavy, I had a lot on my mind and wanted to get it out. Anyway as you might have noticed there are some updates to the site including the beard poll on the side, and as soon as I figure out how it works, a slideshow at the bottom.

About a year ago I wrote this statement of faith for my college application, after smoking a cigar and reading Chesterton, my two primary muses. I hope you enjoy:

I believe in God, the father Almighty maker of heaven and earth. I believe in God the Creator and God the Redeemer. I believe in a God who is transcendent in his greatness yet immanent in love. I believe in God’s Son, begotten not created, and that he used a cursed cross to crush a serpent’s head. I believe that Christ was fully God and fully man, and I believe that I will never fully wrap my head around that. I believe that He was a prophet, priest and warrior king. I believe that the Apostle’s Creed is an accurate human portrayal of the inerrant truths found in the Word of God. I believe in the Holy Ghost, that He proceeds from the Father and the Son, equal in power and glory, and that with the Father and Son, He is to be worshipped and glorified. I believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one God in three persons, as real and as mystical as shamrocks.
I believe that God loves the babes of those who love Him, and that he has welcomed them to be washed and feast in His name. I believe that God gave men wine to make their hearts glad, and cigars to put hair on their chests. I believe that the Westminster Confession of Faith is not the Bible nor is it the sequel, but it is close. I believe in loving the sinner but hating the sin. I believe that Roman Catholics are Christians, even if Pope Benedict does not think that I am. I believe that the government is God’s minister for good, no matter how often they attempt to throw us down wells and shred our multicolored coats. I believe God hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. I believe that many of the prophecies uttered in the books of Daniel, the Gospels, and Revelations were fulfilled in 70 AD. I believe that as an image bearer I am chief among creatures and as man I am chief among sinners. I believe that Christ died for all men but not every man. I believe that laughter is war and that not all Rigor is Mortis.

My father

Its 4:30. Time to go to work. Six days shall you labor. 13 hours a day. The seventh day is a day of rest, but much is expected of my father even on that day. My father's build comes from a time when men were men. His thick chest and graying beard are those of a Norse soldier, not of the feminine stock that today passes for men. My father is stalwart. My father is what God requires of man. He is a creator. An artist. An educator. A defender. A laborer. A servant. A husband. A father. He is my best friend. My father is Loves His Lord and his creation. He glorifies God and he will enjoy him forever. He blesses those around him with strong drink, and good cigars. My father's singing reverberates off the roof and dances in our ears. I love my father. I am leaving him. But he has molded me into someone like himself, and I will make him proud.

This is my ADG bio that will be going up on the website soon!

Name: Tyler Antkowiak
Title: Content Developer

Superpower: Creative Giant. There are few artistic disciplines in which Tyler has not dabbled, from painting and sculpture, to music and theater, to creative writing and poetry. Such a diverse blend of talents and skills could only fit into large package, and Tyler’s broad 6’6” frame make him a prominent member of the ADG team.

Alter ego: Philosopher King. Tyler is happiest smoking a fine cigar and talking about philosophy. When not working at ADG Tyler loves nothing more than reading influential philosophers and proving them wrong. He spends his time wondering if Existentialistm exists, and considering why there are no Nihilists.

Inspirations and Addictions: Irish Rock, NC Wyeth, and GK Chesterton. Tyler finds inspiration in the mysteries of God’s good creation. Tyler finds the perfect blend of addiction and inspiration in contact sports.

Drink: Caramel Machiatto with 3 extra shots of espresso.

Favorite Thing about working for ADG: Tyler grew up at ADG, and he’s extremely grateful for the culture of creative cultivation that has been so fundamental in his upbringing and outlook on life.

Story: Ever since Tyler was a wee tike (well… he was never wee) his creativity manifested itself. More often then not, to the chagrin of his father, ADG founder Jeff Antkowiak, this usually meant paint on the carpet and gouges in the kitchen table. The atmosphere at ADG creative has done nothing but intensify his rogue artistry. Tyler has won several art contests on a state and national level, and brings that competitive creativity to any project put before him.
From his humble beginnings as the office intern at age twelve, Tyler has moved from trash boy to an important part of the team. He loves creating, whether that means writing copy for brochures, cutting video, content development, or graphic design. His list of skills only grows from the guidance and instruction he receives from the ADG team.

In His Words:

What does it mean to you to serve the client?
“Its easy to sacrifice honesty and integrity for simplicity. It’s much easier to give the client exactly what he asks for, rather that attempt to advise them in creating something that will really benefit them. It is fundamentally important to maintain artistic integrity, even if that means a little friction with the client. Anything besides artistic integrity coupled with a sincere interest to see the client succeed is a disservice.”

How do you gauge the success of your work?
“The staff at ADG is so brilliant and creative. If the guy in the nest cube over looks at my desk and is impressed with what he sees then I know good things are happening. ”

What’s the most important thing for the client to know about you?
“Most kids aspire to being firemen or police officers in there formative years. I wanted to come work at ADG. This is my dream job; and that is going to come through in what I produce.”

I was cooking bacon at 4:30 this morning.

Selah

The Irish Know Best

And I love her so
I wouldn't trade her for gold
Walking on moonbeams
I was born with a silver spoon

Hell I'm gonna be me
Gonna be free
Walking on moonbeams
And staring out to sea

And if a door be closed
Then a row of homes start building
And tear your curtains down
For sunlight is like gold

Hell you better be you
Do what you can do
Walking on moonbeams
And staring out to sea

'Cause if your skin was soil
How long do you think before they'd start digging
And if your life was gold
How long do you think you'd stay living

And I love her so
I wouldn't trade her for gold

The End of an Era

Today was my last day of classes at Rockbridge Academy
I still have to turn in a paper, deliver a speech, take a math test, and a literature final.
That is all.
13 years.
Here's a tear.
And now its gone.

Arsheesh

This blog belongs to the Winner of the Hall Closet Art Contest!!!
I'm pretty darn psyked about it!
T

Bold Chrisatian Men Rejoice,
May your faith be large
May you never yearn for the bitter cup, it is no longer yours,
May you not wallow in your sin, may your faith be large
Let the Popists and the ascetics navel gaze and may their palates pucker
May you feast with your king and redeemer and drink sweet wine
Let your confession be true and mournful
Let your forgiveness be true and jubilant
Let us drink no dry wine
let us be wet with baptism and let our hearts be made glad
may your faith be large
The battle is won, may we drink to our hearts content
Wine vine vinegar was for the cross, let our communion be sweet
May your faith be large enough to drink sweet wine

T

Soirre!

Here are some pictures of a great night!

God in the Numbers

Sorry everyone its been a while... So here's what I've been thinking about: AP Calculus and Calculus based Physics. I'm reminded of the Chesterton quote, "The mysteries of God are far more satisfying that the answers of men." I might be losing it, but I really think I am seeing God in these two subjects in which I don't belong. I can honestly say that I'm fighting to keep an A in these two subjects. But I think I prefer it that way. If these came easily to me I would never get the growth or appreciation that God has blessed me with. God's majesty is in the integral I can't wrap my head around. His order is laid before me in the complexity of electricity. But its tough. And I'm suffering into truth.
T

This Community is dead.

Long Time No Post

Well Ladies and Germs its been quite a while since I've done any serious posting so I might be a bit rusty... I have a few things to say to pagans about Jesus. He was not a good man. If he wasn't God incarnate he was a dreadful Liar, and anyone who says he didn't claim to be God hasn't read the Gospels. Secondly, I swear the next time I hear a nonbeliever call Him Jesus "Christ" I will them on their lnees, really. If they are willing to call him messiah and yet don't recognize his lordship they ought to get used to feeling like a foot stool, and I'm ready to assist. As far as, "If I were at the crucifixion I would have helped him off of the cross" goes, thats a lie straight from hell. First of all those who have been swept up in the modern atheists movements are just as much mindless followers as a mob of first century Jews, and anyone who calls for Hitchens or Dawkins would be even more likely to call for Barabas. Secondly, it is an arrogant lie to say that the modern atheist would be the one noble soul in the crowd when even His disciples deserted him. These are just a few thoughts I have concerning the critical thinkers of our time. Happy Easter. May a true knowledge of Christ gladden your heart.

Whoops!

Well that last post went over like a lead balloon... so here 'tis: ylou guys tell me what you want to hear, and I'll write about it.
Thanks
T

Enviromentalism

Heres another little tasty morsel...enjoy

Lets say however that you let the attack against religion go. The theories of Utilitarianism and Consequentialism cannot produce traditional morality. Really, it produces a morally so strange that, if it were truly applied, it would leave anyone pining for the evils of religion. Utilitarianism, the greatest happiness for the greatest number, is peculiarly impaired by environment. Rape is a serious sin and would not be used to prove a point if one were dealing with a morality that made sense, however it is important to demonstrate how heinous the morality of Utilitarianism can be. Imagine two thugs in an alley, who decide to rape a woman. Two thugs, one woman, this action justified by Utilitarianism inside the environment of the alley. Now extend the environment farther, and the two police officers who walk by the alley and are decidedly unhappy about the situation, now push morality into the woman’s favor. Two thugs, two policemen and the woman, two vs. three. Suddenly violent rape is wrong again. The environment can continue to extend outward until we reach humanity as a whole (which as has already pointed out tends towards sadism, favoring the rapist) but one way or another, environment hardly seems like a condition that should be applied to morality.

Ironic...

I strongly dislike it when people use their blogs to express their self-loathing and inadequacy and as a ploy to get others to tell them their special and that everything is just fine. So this is me not doing it.

lets just say I came close...

T

Sadomasochistic morality

Though you all might enjoy another chunk of thesis so here it is

It is the cry of the Atheist that religion is the bane of man’s existence. It “poisons everything,” it is an opiate for the masses, a podium for pig-headed fundamentalists to inflict emotional and physical pain on the bleating masses. Lets grant this overblown, but not uncommon, description of religion and see what it does to atheism. Whether you believe that the world is six thousand years old or fourteen billion, religion has existed as long as humans have. Concerning the choice to be religious of not Hitchens points out that, “For the greater part of human existence, it must always be stressed, this ‘option’ did not really exist.” This dread institution is inseparable linked to humanity. Yet (most formally propounded by Thomas Hobbes, and held onto by Atheist past and present) human activity and morality is based on pleasure and pain, “the greatest happiness for the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation.” (according to Jeremy Bentham and repeated by Richard Dawkins .) If this is indeed the case, and if religion is as omnipresent throughout human history, then we are a very sadomasochistic race indeed. Humans have held on to an institution, which is, according to the modern atheist, only good for inflicting pain or being tortured with. Yet the great majority of humanity has found happiness in the heinous belief in God. Surely therefore, the Utilitarianism or Consequentialism of Bentham and Dawkins can’t be the foundation of moral. For the greater part of human history men have been esteeming as good and true a monster which can only lead to guilt and pain. Therefore the greatest happiness for the greatest number is found in this peculiar sadomasochism, making religion a good thing, or there is something genuinely wrong with religion, making Consequentialism and Utilitarianism an incomplete description of morality (keep in mind that these options are only necessary if you assume the bloated accusations listed against religion).

"Its Nice to be appreciated...These here paupers in this here parish don't appreciate me! Antiparochial they are ma'am antiparochial, we've given away a matter of twenty loves and a cheese and a half this very blessed afternoon, and still them paupers in not content."
- Mr. Bumble

It is unequivocally nice to be appreciated. Thank you.
T

Valentines Day Eve

Valentines day is not a celebration of love between, a man and a woman, God and mankind, or love at all. Its a battle of the wills. Valentines day provides the battle ground for some of man and woman's most important fights. We stand in the middle of warring Ideologies. Most of all its a time of brotherly griping where all men come together and form a band of brothers, all fighting against the violent rule of yes, you guessed it, ROSES. They last the three days, max, what kind of a representation of love is that. plus no matter how good of a florist you go to, at least two of the roses in your dozen will be sub-par. If you should run into another guy buying flowers on Valentines Day Eve, you'll meet eyes and both immediately get a sheepish look, roll your eyes, and let the complaining commense.

This is ME!

Hey everyone, I had to turn in a cast biography, written in the third person, for the Oliver! pamphlet and my dad actually wrote one for me, which I was a lot more comfortable with. Thought you all might like to read it and tell me if its an accurate picture.
T

Tyler Antkowiak’s parts have gotten bigger with every play. A mere 5’ 4” in his brief role in Music Man, in Oliver-his fourth play -he stands 6’ 6” and intends to Bumble around the stage to the best of his ability. Interests include art, music, and sports – where if he can catch you, you’re in big trouble. Tyler thanks Mr. McKenna for working him so hard, and Mrs. Horst for healing the wounds. His greatest goal at the moment is also his saddest moment… leaving Rockbridge this year. After graduating at 17, Ty plans to attend New St. Andrews in Moscow, ID -- but a large part of him will remain… he’s leaving his shoes.

thanks dad

The Razor

Hey everybody, how bout something with a little substance? Here a little first taste of the thesis paper.


The dictionary describes Ockham’s Razor “the philosophical and scientific rule that simple explanations should be preferred to more complicated ones, and that the explanation of a new phenomenon should be based on what is already known.” Originating with the fourteenth century logician William of Ockham, this “rule” was first formulated as “Do not multiply entities beyond necessity” and has often been employed to cut God out of the picture. Ignoring the fact William was a Franciscan and thus would have never utilized this theory against the existence of God, does this theory even benefit the Materialist? Ockham’s razor seems to be governed by an even more fundamental rule (deeper magic you might say) formulized for generations by wise fathers, “A tool is most dangerous when you use it for something it wasn’t intended for (so stop trying to cut that sheet of paper with the chainsaw)” and the “rule” is clearly true, for the Materialists who reference the razor are the ones who are most likely to be cut.
In a debate with Francis Collins Richard Dawkins was asked to compare the Genesis account of creation with Darwinian evolution. He employs an informal expression of the razor argument:
“Yes. For centuries the most powerful argument for God’s existence from the physical world was the so-called argument from design: Living things are so elegant and apparently so purposeful they could only be made by an intelligent designer. But Darwin provided a simpler explanation. His way is gradual incremental improvement starting from very simple beginnings and working up step by tiny incremental step to more complexity, more elegance, more adaptive perfection. Each step is not too improbable for us to countenance, but when you add them up cumulatively over millions of years, you get these monsters of improbability, like the human brain and the rain forest. It should warn us against ever again assuming that because something is complicated, God must have done it.”
It indeed should warn us, but not to reject God. The Christian understanding of creation is that an omnipotent, all good Deity created the world by the word of his power in six days and on the seventh day he rested. This is a very loaded statement, but it is simple enough. Neo-Darwinian Evolution claims that a universe-spanning supernova (the Big Bang) created the universe as we know it, sparked life on this planet and that over the course of billions of years by incremental steps life forms emerged from a “primordial soup” and eventually grew by Natural Selection into infinitely complex organisms, like human beings. Perhaps the most profound thing that Dawkins uttered was the phrase “monsters of improbability.” After Ockham’s razor has done its dirty work it is clear that the Materialists conception reality is the improbable monster.
Creationism claims one entity in the creation of the world: God. Materialism and Darwinism necessitate at least three: primordial soup, natural selection, and billions of years. Surely this is an example of entities multiplied beyond necessity.
These arguments from simplicity do give a good cursory look at a theory, but ignoring its obvious ability to show curb appeal, Ockham’s razor doesn’t actually prove anything. It in and of itself is only a theory, but it is not one that the Materialist ought to employ. If anything the convoluted nature of evolution should cause the Materialist to shy away from this dangerous razor. A tool misused is often hazardous to its handler.

Oh play practice... how i love/hate thee. The plays only four weeks away, and quites frankly I think this is just about the best shape RBA has ever been in. But... ITS ONLY FOUR WEEKS AWAY!!!!! look out for sanity (or lack there of) updates!

Petty

Petty

The good, the bad, and you
Everything I’m goin’ through
Don’t care ‘bout what you say is true
This, my friend, is long overdue.

Your beautiful, half the time,
Penny for your thoughts, would you shut up for a dime?
The depths I reach for a for a simple rhyme
But the high road is much too far to climb.

Of course you became a mirror
Made me look in places I fear
The chest cavity where I store this drear
Only to find I’m just as petty.


Severely disappointed with myself. Thank God for sanctification.
T

Frankenstein

Hey Everybody... Sorry I've gone kind of lame these last to weeks as far as the blog goes... schools been hectic and I've kind of felt like frankenstein lumbering around the halls of Rockbridge. So to exorcise that feeling I painted it out last night. And so, Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Frankenstein's monster.

PS. This scan doesn't quite do justice to the painting (In my opinion) and since I'm feeling a little socially starved, come see it/me.